[TheBaggieMan]

The Covid-19 outbreak, if true, with three Leicester players out would be a bonus especially if Vardy is one of them.

I suspect that if signed, we may put Callum Robinson up front with Grant (again if signed) on the bench. If HRK and Austin lead the line, we’re doomed, doomed I tell thee, doomed!

I’d like at least a 1-1 score draw with either Diangana or Pereira scoring for us after going 0-1 down.

 

[Hull Baggie]

The Covid-19 outbreak, if true, with three Leicester players out would be a bonus especially if Vardy is one of them.

I suspect that if signed, we may put Callum Robinson up front with Grant (again if signed) on the bench. If HRK and Austin lead the line, we’re doomed, doomed I tell thee, doomed!

I’d like at least a 1-1 score draw with either Diangana or Pereira scoring for us after going 0-1 down.

 

I'd prefer a 1-0 win..don't care how we score it could be 89th minute off Kipre's backside for all I care 

[seteefeet]

Here we are a few days before the new season and we are still looking at the same players that limped over the promotion line last season.

I have got to admit I am disappointed with Albion.  The end of last season it was so clear that we desperatly need a striker and you would have thought they would have pulled out all the stops to get one in before the season starts.  But no, we will probably start with one of the hopeless excuses we call a striker !!

This could have been a match where we could have sneaked at least a point with a half decent striker but I am afraid its going to be the same old Albion as it was at the end of last season.

If we can't even get a draw against Huddesrfield there is no way we will get anything against Leicester.

We are getting too bogged down with the poor end to the season and forgetting the fantastic rest of it!. I would have fancied our team of August to December, with Austin, HRK and Zohore as our strikers, against any of the mid-lower prem sides. We finished 2nd because we were a very good side and shouldn't be scared to give it a go, even if we don't get the new additions in for the first few games.

2-1 Albion Diangana & Austin (pen)

COYB

[baggiemart]

We are getting too bogged down with the poor end to the season and forgetting the fantastic rest of it!. I would have fancied our team of August to December, with Austin, HRK and Zohore as our strikers, against any of the mid-lower prem sides. We finished 2nd because we were a very good side and shouldn't be scared to give it a go, even if we don't get the new additions in for the first few games.

2-1 Albion Diangana & Austin (pen)

COYB

You can't ignore the end of the season because that's our current form. In the end it was only our 1st half of the season that carried us over the promotion line.   In fact in the end we didn't get promotion it was handed to us on a plate.

With our current strikers we will be lucky if we get a shot on target  !!!

[TheJacko2000]

Leicester will be a good side, but they have several key players missing. Regards our overall prospects the bottom half of the division isn’t any great shakes. We should have nothing to fear against 12 or 13 teams.

[seteefeet]

You can't ignore the end of the season because that's our current form. In the end it was only our 1st half of the season that carried us over the promotion line.   In fact in the end we didn't get promotion it was handed to us on a plate.

With our current strikers we will be lucky if we get a shot on target  !!!

I'm not ignoring the end of the season, you, however, appear to be ignoring the rest of it.
I am taking the season as a whole as it was pretty much the same team throughout. The strikers certainly didn't change, so, my point is, we did incredibly well, despite 3 poor strikers.

And, yes, we did win promotion, as, over 46 games, we amassed the 2nd highest points total.

We will struggle, of course we will, and will lose more than we win but, if we want to win most weeks then we should have just stayed down. (Perhaps that was the plan and it was just scuppered by pesky Brentford handing us promotion on a plate)

The lack of signings is frustrating, but we could break our transfer record for every position and still go down, that's how financially unequal this league is.

Personally, I'm just here for the ride and am happy for us to give it a go, if that's with the same team as last year, so be it. We have young, hungry, exciting players in Pereira, Diangana, Sawyers, Ajayi and Robinson who have the talent and potential to light up this league and I can't wait to see how they fare.
One thing's for sure, it will be more entertaining than the dross served up by Pulis!

[Albionic]

we did incredibly well, despite 3 poor strikers. and a under performing goal keeper,

fix either of those issues and we have half a chance

[Hull Baggie]

You can't ignore the end of the season because that's our current form. In the end it was only our 1st half of the season that carried us over the promotion line.   In fact in the end we didn't get promotion it was handed to us on a plate.

With our current strikers we will be lucky if we get a shot on target  !!!

no it isn't because we aren't currently playing it was our most recent form.

However, the league results we had just prior to lockdown (loss to Wigan, draw with Swansea) came after a run of 6 without defeat (5 wins 1 draw) we'd had little blips throughout the season followed by extending periods of not losing games so I could reasonably argue based on the evidence of the patterns of the season that we would have gone on a similar unbeaten run.

However lockdown happened and we started back very sluggishly against Blues (who by their own admission came to nullify us), then we lost to Brentford then went on a 5 match unbeaten run until we lost to Huddersfield. The players have said that the pressure got to them. We had so much to lose having been in the top 2 since September whereas Brentford by comparison had nothing to lose as no one expected them to get automatic promotion prior to lockdown. When they finally had some pressure on them in their last 2 league games they crumbled and lost to Stoke and Barnsley.

Ultimately we drew far more games than we should have (Charlton, Barnsley, Blues at home, Millwall at home, Leeds at home) but we only lost 7 games all season which shows how good a side we were.
 
Despite having 3 of the poorest forwards in the division we still ended up 2nd highest scorers showing that we have goals throughout the team which is going to be important in the Premier league.

I'm expecting a hard slog but I do think we will have enough (especially when we sign a new main striker) to finish between 14-17.

[seteefeet]

This is what I now expect:

Johnstone

OShea
Ajayi
Bartley
Gibbs

Livermore
Sawyers

Pereira
Diangana
Robinson

Robson-Kanu

[koren]

                  Johnstone

OShea      Ajayi        Hegazi     Gibbs

              Livermore   Sawyers

Philips             Pereira            Diangana

                       Austin


Robinson on the bench as an impact sub.

[NJS]

Here we are a few days before the new season and we are still looking at the same players that limped over the promotion line last season.

One of the reasons we limped over the line last season is that we had a relatively older side and older players take longer to get up to speed following any kind of layoff from actual matches.  Phillips, Brunt, Gibbs, Austin, Livermore, Hegazi: pace and energy tells in the Championship.
  At least we have a slightly younger squad now.

[baggiemart]

no it isn't because we aren't currently playing it was our most recent form.

However, the league results we had just prior to lockdown (loss to Wigan, draw with Swansea) came after a run of 6 without defeat (5 wins 1 draw) we'd had little blips throughout the season followed by extending periods of not losing games so I could reasonably argue based on the evidence of the patterns of the season that we would have gone on a similar unbeaten run.

However lockdown happened and we started back very sluggishly against Blues (who by their own admission came to nullify us), then we lost to Brentford then went on a 5 match unbeaten run until we lost to Huddersfield. The players have said that the pressure got to them. We had so much to lose having been in the top 2 since September whereas Brentford by comparison had nothing to lose as no one expected them to get automatic promotion prior to lockdown. When they finally had some pressure on them in their last 2 league games they crumbled and lost to Stoke and Barnsley.

Ultimately we drew far more games than we should have (Charlton, Barnsley, Blues at home, Millwall at home, Leeds at home) but we only lost 7 games all season which shows how good a side we were.
 
Despite having 3 of the poorest forwards in the division we still ended up 2nd highest scorers showing that we have goals throughout the team which is going to be important in the Premier league.

I'm expecting a hard slog but I do think we will have enough (especially when we sign a new main striker) to finish between 14-17.

To finish in that position, which to me is really being optimistic, then we must be getting something in our 1st game against Leicester.

Newly promoted side at home against a side who finished last season badly and they have some players out as well.  There's never been a better time to play them.

So lets see how it goes. 

[baggiemart]

One of the reasons we limped over the line last season is that we had a relatively older side and older players take longer to get up to speed following any kind of layoff from actual matches.  Phillips, Brunt, Gibbs, Austin, Livermore, Hegazi: pace and energy tells in the Championship.
  At least we have a slightly younger squad now.

I think you will find the main squad is exactly the same as the end of last season. We have only lost Brunt.

[BoingFlyer]

Very nervous for this game, we have made some decent signings but not built on the squad that limped over the line at the end of last season. Still no striker on the horizon.

[johnny Cash]

This will almost certainly be the team, not looking forward to it one bit.

Johnstone

OShea
Ajayi
Bartley
Gibbs

Livermore
Sawyers
Phillips

Pereira
Robson-Kanu
Diangana

Other than maybe Hegazi and Bartley swapping, as i'm not sure its clear which Bilic favours and i cant immediately remember which way hes gone in friendlies, that is what i expect.

If Leicester are on it, they could give us a real hiding. Both Barnes, and Vardy will petrify that defense. Although on a side note I do think this will be the season we see a significant drop off from Vardy. What a player he has been for the past 5 years mind.

[NJS]

 

One of the reasons we limped over the line last season is that we had a relatively older side and older players take longer to get up to speed following any kind of layoff from actual matches.  Phillips, Brunt, Gibbs, Austin, Livermore, Hegazi: pace and energy tells in the Championship.
  At least we have a slightly younger squad now.

I think you will find the main squad is exactly the same as the end of last season. We have only lost Brunt.

But if there is no lockdown on matches, there will be no need for players to get back up to speed which won't disadvantage older players.  I'm hoping that Phillips and Austin play minor roles this season so that will make the match teams younger.

[Mikkyk]

Don't think we'll score, even if their squad is weakened.

I hope, and maybe optimistically expect, that drawing a blank will be a major catalyst for signing a striker (or two).

Hope i'm wrong and we do get on the scoresheet (we have a decent scoring record against these in recent years) and we still sign a striker!

[TheJacko2000]

Players other than strikers score goals.

All very pessimistic.

[Albionic]

I think you will find the main squad is exactly the same as the end of last season. We have only lost Brunt.

And Krov

[KN22]

Its going to be tough given our options. Please no Phillips HRK or Austin in starting line up.

[Mikkyk]

Players other than strikers score goals.

All very pessimistic.

Yep, and they've been slamming them in, in the friendlies.

[TheJacko2000]

Yep, and they've been slamming them in, in the friendlies.

Ah yes, preseason, that great indicator of things to come. 

[baggiemart]

Players other than strikers score goals.

All very pessimistic.

Oh right !   

If I remember right the top goalscorers in the premiership last year were all strikers !!

[Hull Baggie]

Oh right !   

If I remember right the top goalscorers in the premiership last year were all strikers !!

they were and the top scorers in all divisions were probably strikers too, doesn't disprove the fact that other players score goals! We had 3 of the lowest scoring strikers in the championship yet were 2nd highest scorers.

[AlbionFan]

This is what I now expect:

Johnstone

OShea
Ajayi
Bartley
Gibbs

Livermore
Sawyers

Pereira
Diangana
Robinson

Robson-Kanu

Yep, that would be my guess at the starting lineup